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ICC T20 World Cup: Let's get this out of the way, yes, Sanju Samson would be playing against England in the much-anticipated T20 WC 2026 semi-final at the Wankhede stadium. His celebration after his match-winning knock against West Indies raised eyebrows as he had thrown his helmet following the winning hit. With hour to go for the semi-final, there is nothing from the International Cricket Council which makes it more or less clear that he will play. Former international umpire Anil Chaudhary gave his take on the issue and explained why Samson will not be penalised. 

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‘An emotional moment’

He said: “What Sanju did, according to me, was an expression of joy and an emotional moment — not abuse of equipment. He did not throw it in anger, which is what the Code refers to. In many cases, we see equipment deliberately hit or thrown to show anger. Anger is the key point there. I believe this was a show of joy and emotion, which he also acknowledged in the post-match interview. Sanju played very well. Congratulations to Team India for reaching the semi-finals.”

Samson, given his good form, is expected to play a huge role in India's semi-final against England at the Wankhede stadium. He would be tasked to get the side off to a good start. In a big-ticket game like the T20 WC semi-final, a good start could set the tone and make all the difference. 

Interesting to see what is going to be Samson's strategy against Jofra Archer tonight. The England pacer has had the wood over Samson and hence that would be a contest to watch out for.